Interested in Safety?

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is calling on critical infrastructure industries — including portable restroom operators and their equipment suppliers — to continue providing essential services during the spread of the COVID19. Through an announcement by President Donald Trump, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency shared this guidance:

“If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as health care services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.”

The Homeland Security memorandum recognizes the important role PROs play in promoting public health during a crisis.

This is something we at PRO and COLE Publishing have always known. Since 1979, COLE Publishing has highlighted the unsung and sometimes dangerous work of wastewater professionals. Portable restroom operators are always quick to respond during a crisis — such as hurricanes, wildfires and floods — as well as against the current foe, a pandemic that is shutting down or overwhelming many public restroom facilities.

PROs are currently deploying equipment to serve mobile health care providers, construction sites and other places where people are dealing with the spread of the coronavirus. These include individual restrooms, hand-wash stations, restroom trailers and fleets of vacuum trucks to transport and dispose of waste. Industry manufacturers continue to build and distribute this critical equipment to service providers.

The CISA document spells out the importance of infrastructure workers continuing to provide their crucial services. As many states enforce shelter-in-place or other safety measures aimed at protecting the public, Homeland Security reminds infrastructure workers to coordinate with state and local officials to continue to deliver services.

“All decisions should appropriately balance public safety while ensuring the

continued delivery of critical infrastructure services and functions,” CISA announces.

Thank you for continuing to answer the call when portable sanitation services are required. You are on the front lines of the public health system, and we urge you to take all necessary precautions to work safely and efficiently during the pandemic response.

Below is the complete memorandum and infrastructure guidance document released this week by the federal government: